By Matters India Reporter
Kochi, October 23, 2019: A court in Kerala has set November 11 as the date to start the trial of Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar, who was accused of raping a nun.
The District Court of Kottayam has summoned Bishop Mulakkal to take part in the trial procedure. Charges against the bishop will be read out to him in court.
Meanwhile, the nun who accused Bishop Mulakkal of rape has raised a complaint against him with the state women’s commission saying he is now causing her mental harassment.
In the complaint, the nun has alleged that the bishop and his men use social media platforms to defame her and the group of nuns who protested against him.
She has also alleged that “in some videos on YouTube, the photographs of the victim are used, which will reveal her identity.”
“The videos are intended to disrespect, abuse, intimidate and influence the witness, victim and the investigation team. This is a violation of the bail conditions laid down by the Kerala High Court,” said the nun’s complaint.
Bishop Mulakkal was arrested on September 21, 2018, after the former superior general of the Missionaries of Jesus filed a police case accusing the prelate of repeatedly raping her at their convent in Kuravilangad in Kerala between 2014 and 2016.
The congregation is functions under the diocese of Jalandhar.
Bishop Mulakkal, 55, maintains that the case is the survivor’s vendetta against him for initiating disciplinary proceedings against her for an alleged affair with the husband of one of her nieces.
The bishop was arrested after five Missionaries of Jesus nuns joined a sit-in in front of the Kerala High Court on September 8, demanding action against the prelate.
Bishop Mulakkal, the first bishop in India to be charged with sexual assault, has been free on bail since October 15, 2018.
He returned to Jalandhar on October 17 to a hero’s welcome.
The case began on June 28, 2018, when the survivor filed a complaint at the local police station.
The case entered a new stage in April when the investigation team submitted a charge sheet of more than 2,000 pages to the Palai court.
The team accused Mulakkal of committing offenses such as wrongful confinement, rape of a woman incapable of giving consent, causing grievous bodily harm during rape, unnatural offense, and criminal intimidation.
The charge sheet has listed 83 witnesses, including Cardinal George Alencherry, head of the Syro-Malabar Church, an Eastern Catholic rite. Alencherry was among the first church officials the survivor approached for help.
The survivor had also met Bishops Joseph Kallarangatt of Palai, Kurian Valiakandathil of Bhagalpur and Sebastian Vadakkel of Ujjain, who are witnesses along with 25 nuns and 13 priests.